The eastern extremity of the heath is a strip of land extending into Marsham, once known as Dead Man's Hill. Long ago a body was found here, and a dispute arose as to whether Cawston or Marsham should arrange the burial. Cawston accepted responsibility, and our present parish boundary includes this land. Not far away is Gallows Hill, where a gibbet once stood, an unhappy sight for travellers along the old heath road from Marsham. An even older road, possibly pre Roman, leading inland from the coast, passed near Botany Bay Farm, on through Eastgate to Booton, and all the way to Castleacre. This road can be traced on aerial photographs, and in favourable conditions appears as a light track across the fields on the south side of the road to Buxton.
Two local August anniversaries are connected with the heath. The last Duel in Norfolk was fought here on August 20th, 1698, and the story of how Oliver Le Neve killed Sir Henry Hobart is well known, and commemorated by the stone near the Woodrow Garage, a delightful little National Trust site adorned with masses of violets in spring. August too, saw the great Sheep Fair, held over several centuries on the last Wednesday in the month. It has been described as "the greatest sheep show in the country", and brought huge flocks to the surrounding roads, lambs from the west Norfolk breeders being sold to the graziers from the east.
Cawston Heath today, although diminished in size, is well worth a visit at all seasons - but if you go on a hot day in August keep an eye open for adders!
John Kett - 1989
Brief History: 1066: Forest to Heathland - Sheep & Pig grassing. 1400 to 1600: and Rabbit Warren. 1698: Duel on Heath. 1802: The Enclosure Act resulted in the "dividing, allotting, and enclosing of common fields" in Cawston. 1914 to 1918 WW1 and 1939 to 1945 WW2 used for rifle firing range. 1963:16 hectares ploughed up and cropped, turned back to heath in 1993. 1986: Designated a site of special scientific interest. Agreement with Natural England & Managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
In 2014, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust began an ambitious project to restore about four hectares back to open heathland.
After removing the pine and scrub and grinding the stumps, the final process of striping the surface of humus and pine needles was completed to allow heather seeds to germinate.
Once established, this heather-dominated landscrape will again be good habitat for heathland specialities such as woodlarks, nightjars and adders.
]]>See file one for-
Questions and Answers regaring the Heath....
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This lovely area of heathland to the east of Cawston might be considered to have changed little over the centuries. This may be true in some respects, for the birch trees, gorse, and heather continue in their beauty, but our ancestors of the First Elizabethan days would be amazed that today the heath is almost unknown to many of our local inhabitants, and plays little part in their lives. In Tudor times it was of considerable importance, a place where farmers grazed their sheep under the fold-course system, where controlled rabbit warrens provided food, while the villagers had grazing rights for their livestock and relied on the area for their fuel supplies. These resources were jealously guarded by farmer and tenant, rich and poor, and from time to time there were lawsuits to settle problems.
The eastern extremity of the heath is a strip of land extending into Marsham, once known as Dead Man's Hill. Long ago a body was found here, and a dispute arose as to whether Cawston or Marsham should arrange the burial. Cawston accepted responsibility, and our present parish boundary includes this land. Not far away is Gallows Hill, where a gibbet once stood, an unhappy sight for travellers along the old heath road from Marsham. An even older road, possibly pre Roman, leading inland from the coast, passed near Botany Bay Farm, on through Eastgate to Booton, and all the way to Castleacre. This road can be traced on aerial photographs, and in favourable conditions appears as a light track across the fields on the south side of the road to Buxton.
Two local August anniversaries are connected with the heath. The last Duel in Norfolk was fought here on August 20th, 1698, and the story of how Oliver Le Neve killed Sir Henry Hobart is well known, and commemorated by the stone near the Woodrow Garage, a delightful little National Trust site adorned with masses of violets in spring. August too, saw the great Sheep Fair, held over several centuries on the last Wednesday in the month. It has been described as "the greatest sheep show in the country", and brought huge flocks to the surrounding roads, lambs from the west Norfolk breeders being sold to the graziers from the east.
Cawston Heath today, although diminished in size, is well worth a visit at all seasons - but if you go on a hot day in August keep an eye open for adders!
John Kett - 1989
Brief History: 1066: Forest to Heathland - Sheep & Pig grassing. 1400 to 1600: and Rabbit Warren. 1698: Duel on Heath. 1802: The Enclosure Act resulted in the "dividing, allotting, and enclosing of common fields" in Cawston. 1914 to 1918 WW1 and 1939 to 1945 WW2 used for rifle firing range. 1963:16 hectares ploughed up and cropped, turned back to heath in 1993. 1986: Designated a site of special scientific interest. Agreement with Natural England & Managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust.
In 2014, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust began an ambitious project to restore about four hectares back to open heathland.
After removing the pine and scrub and grinding the stumps, the final process of striping the surface of humus and pine needles was completed to allow heather seeds to germinate.
Once established, this heather-dominated landscrape will again be good habitat for heathland specialities such as woodlarks, nightjars and adders.
David Nunn. John Kett. Ivan & Vic Purdy. Denny Easton. Mrs Fellows.
Jane Gaskin & The Gaskin Family - Seat Donated.
Martin Sercombe. Cawston Remembers Project
Neil Storey.
Duel on the Heath - part of the Cawston Remembers Project:
The Gravestone project for St. Agnes' Church, the Cemetery and Memorial/Remembrance is ongoing and will be updated as time permit which is being listed to help those people who wish to trace some of their family history.
The inscription have been taken from the gravestones and from records held by the Cawston Historical Society which are in the Heritage room at the Village Hall.
Many of the stones are now getting very difficult to read and no records have been sort. Please feel free to contact us quoting the relevant reference grave number as used within the gravestone index if you think that any plan position, or inscriptions have been transcribed incorrectly as accuracy is not guaranteed, a photo of every stone will be included whether it is readable or not.
Please contact us for enquires regarding copy photos.
Cawston Cemetery, Aylsham Road, Cawston, Norfolk, NR10 4TB.
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Cemetery Gravestones Inscriptions and Locations.
Cemetery Gravestones Inscriptions and Locations.
The Gravestone project for St. Agnes' Church, the Cemetery and Memorial/Remembrance is ongoing and will be updated as time permit which is being listed to help those people who wish to trace some of their family history.
The inscription have been taken from the gravestones and from records held by the Cawston Historical Society which are in the Heritage room at the Village Hall.
Many of the stones are now getting very difficult to read and no records have been sort. Please feel free to contact us quoting the relevant reference grave number as used within the gravestone index if you think that any plan position, or inscriptions have been transcribed incorrectly as accuracy is not guaranteed, a photo of every stone will be included whether it is readable or not.
Please contact us for enquires regarding copy photos.
Cawston Cemetery, Aylsham Road, Cawston, Norfolk, NR10 4TB.
Click on file to view full screen....
The Gravestone project for St. Agnes' Church, the Cemetery and Memorial/Remembrance is ongoing and will be updated as time permit which is being listed to help those people who wish to trace some of their family history.
The inscription have been taken from the gravestones and from records held by the Cawston Historical Society which are in the Heritage Centre at the Village Hall.
Many of the stones are now getting very difficult to read and no records have been sort. Please feel free to contact us quoting the relevant reference grave number as used within the gravestone index if you think that any plan position, or inscriptions have been transcribed incorrectly as accuracy is not guaranteed, a photo of every stone will be included whether it is readable or not.
Please contact us for enquires regarding copy photos
Click on file to view full screen....
Church Gravestones Inscriptions and Locations
Church Gravestones Inscriptions and Locations.
The Gravestone project for St. Agnes' Church, the Cemetery and Memorial/Remembrance is ongoing and will be updated as time permit which is being listed to help those people who wish to trace some of their family history.
The inscription have been taken from the gravestones and from records held by the Cawston Historical Society which are in the Heritage Centre at the Village Hall.
Many of the stones are now getting very difficult to read and no records have been sort. Please feel free to contact us quoting the relevant reference grave number as used within the gravestone index if you think that any plan position, or inscriptions have been transcribed incorrectly as accuracy is not guaranteed, a photo of every stone will be included whether it is readable or not.
Please contact us for enquires regarding copy photos
Click on file to view full screen....
The suffix "gate" is no mystery, for we have "gates" on the outskirts of many villages and towns, their names dating from Viking times when the Danish invaders settled near earlier Saxon dwelling places. In most Scandinavian countries a street is called "gate" or "gata" ;
I have a Icelandic friend who lives in a street in Reykjavic called Sudagate - i.e. Southgate!
John Kett 1989
Note:
Also see Chapel Street/Prince of Wales road, the road from Cawston to Sygate/Southgate and the history page regarding the Mills.
We have a Birds Lane named after Mr Bird the farmer,
Heydon Lane leading to the Heydon road and Beerhouse road leading to Beerhouse Farm and Oulton.
Click on file to view....
]]>How it was 1992
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Early last century some misguided surveyor working on the first 1-inch maps of this area decided to rename this hamlet "Southgate", and so it appears on Ordnance Survey maps to this day. However, the name by which we know it, and which is included in the ancient inscription on the Plough Gallery in St. Agnes' Church, is Sygate. Some say it comes from Syk, a very old family name, while others find its origin in Sulh-geath, meaning a "Plough Lane" or rough track (Anglo Saxon).
The suffix "gate" is no mystery, for we have "gates" on the outskirts of many villages and towns, their names dating from Viking times when the Danish invaders settled near earlier Saxon dwelling places. In most Scandinavian countries a street is called "gate" or "gata" ;
I have a Icelandic friend who lives in a street in Reykjavic called Sudagate - i.e. Southgate!
John Kett 1989
Note:
Also see Chapel Street/Prince of Wales road, the road from Cawston to Sygate/Southgate and the history page regarding the Mills.
We have a Birds Lane named after Mr Bird the farmer,
Heydon Lane leading to the Heydon road and Beerhouse road leading to Beerhouse Farm and Oulton.
Click on file to view....
New Street - early 1900's: On the right coming from the Aylsham Road was Marshall Howard's builders yard, he employed about 30 men of different trades. On the left were Mr and Mrs Sally Hill, who were cattle drovers, they would walk driving cattle to Norwich and bring back those that were sold at the sale, arriving at Horsford giving the animals a rest, arriving at Cawston in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A little further. on was Mr. Isaac Dent's general stores. Opposite this was Mr. Billy Wrights barber shop, two pence to cut a boy's hair, three pence for an adult. A little further down was a bakery, managed by Mr Pull and his wife. Next door was the village sweep Mr Brett.
On the other side was the Lamb Public House. Milk was brought into the village by Mr Tom Barrett (farmer) of Swanington, by house and cart, with a large churn, and a two gallon carrying can, with two metal measures hanging inside. I used to do part of the village before school and Saturday evenings. I would serve Goose pie, the last call would be the sergeants mess, which was the last house on the left. After I had served them they would make me sit down to a plate of two large slices of roast beef, or mutton, they saved all the jam jars for me, for which I got a half pence each.
New Street was a busy street in the past. The Lamb was a good pub in its early days Hutton kept it also a butchers shop in the yard. Mr Chaffey said to Billy one dinner time bring Johnny Walker to school this afternoon. Billy said who is Johnny Walker. Mr Chaffey said ask your mother. Of course it was a bottle of whisky!
On the other side of the street was Brett the chimney sweep, later taken over by his son-in-law Joe Hudson who did it for many years. One play time at school. as we played mostly on the road. the sweep went past with his horse and cart and the name on the side was Joe Hudson. Practical Chimney Sweep, Mr Chaffey stood outside. I think I was about eleven. I said to him. Sir what does practical mean. He told me lets see if anyone else knows.
Next door to them was a baker's shop. this was run by Frank Pull. later by Fred Gooch. Lots of us still in the village went to school with his son Fred. also a girl who they brought up Alice Payne. Dent took it on when they left; this was the start of Dent's Bakery which is now part of Marsham's Garage. Dent had a shop and yard, it was a shop where you could buy anything. iron mongery. garden tools, etc. Vans travelled all over the district for miles around. He employed a lot of labour. Boys just left school started with him. He also farmed at Perry's Lane Cawston and Belaugh near Wroxham.
At the top of the street was M.D. Howard Builder and undertaker he employed a lot of men at one time. He had a yard, a portable steam engine and saw bench where they used to saw full size oak trees into coffin boards. In my day I have seen Eddie Cox only a young man then with two of Mr W Payne's horses on a big gill. bringing the trees into the wood yard. Later years M. D. Howard and Son, this place was sold to I & M Tubby Builders. There has been many changers there in the last few years, good luck to them. 1 have known that place since 1923 when I first started school, that school is no longer there.
On the other side of the street was The White Horse, this has never been a pub in my time. I have heard my father say when they had Fairs at Cawston, Horse Sales were held in New Street and they used to trot the horse down the street for the buyers. This was the first Car Repair Shop and that which is now a butchers was a Cycle Shop owned by Cecil Kybird.
Click on file to view....
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File 1: Map & New Street Shop File 2: New Street early 1960s showing old school & start of building new bungalows being built, photo taken from Church Tower. Files 3. 4 & 5 General Photos.
New Street - early 1900's: On the right coming from the Aylsham Road was Marshall Howard's builders yard, he employed about 30 men of different trades. On the left were Mr and Mrs Sally Hill, who were cattle drovers, they would walk driving cattle to Norwich and bring back those that were sold at the sale, arriving at Horsford giving the animals a rest, arriving at Cawston in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A little further. on was Mr. Isaac Dent's general stores. Opposite this was Mr. Billy Wrights barber shop, two pence to cut a boy's hair, three pence for an adult. A little further down was a bakery, managed by Mr Pull and his wife. Next door was the village sweep Mr Brett.
On the other side was the Lamb Public House. Milk was brought into the village by Mr Tom Barrett (farmer) of Swanington, by house and cart, with a large churn, and a two gallon carrying can, with two metal measures hanging inside. I used to do part of the village before school and Saturday evenings. I would serve Goose pie, the last call would be the sergeants mess, which was the last house on the left. After I had served them they would make me sit down to a plate of two large slices of roast beef, or mutton, they saved all the jam jars for me, for which I got a half pence each.
New Street was a busy street in the past. The Lamb was a good pub in its early days Hutton kept it also a butchers shop in the yard. Mr Chaffey said to Billy one dinner time bring Johnny Walker to school this afternoon. Billy said who is Johnny Walker. Mr Chaffey said ask your mother. Of course it was a bottle of whisky!
On the other side of the street was Brett the chimney sweep, later taken over by his son-in-law Joe Hudson who did it for many years. One play time at school. as we played mostly on the road. the sweep went past with his horse and cart and the name on the side was Joe Hudson. Practical Chimney Sweep, Mr Chaffey stood outside. I think I was about eleven. I said to him. Sir what does practical mean. He told me lets see if anyone else knows.
Next door to them was a baker's shop. this was run by Frank Pull. later by Fred Gooch. Lots of us still in the village went to school with his son Fred. also a girl who they brought up Alice Payne. Dent took it on when they left; this was the start of Dent's Bakery which is now part of Marsham's Garage. Dent had a shop and yard, it was a shop where you could buy anything. iron mongery. garden tools, etc. Vans travelled all over the district for miles around. He employed a lot of labour. Boys just left school started with him. He also farmed at Perry's Lane Cawston and Belaugh near Wroxham.
At the top of the street was M.D. Howard Builder and undertaker he employed a lot of men at one time. He had a yard, a portable steam engine and saw bench where they used to saw full size oak trees into coffin boards. In my day I have seen Eddie Cox only a young man then with two of Mr W Payne's horses on a big gill. bringing the trees into the wood yard. Later years M. D. Howard and Son, this place was sold to I & M Tubby Builders. There has been many changers there in the last few years, good luck to them. 1 have known that place since 1923 when I first started school, that school is no longer there.
On the other side of the street was The White Horse, this has never been a pub in my time. I have heard my father say when they had Fairs at Cawston, Horse Sales were held in New Street and they used to trot the horse down the street for the buyers. This was the first Car Repair Shop and that which is now a butchers was a Cycle Shop owned by Cecil Kybird.
Click on file to view....
The High Street: Firstly we had the main pub on the Market Place, a Mrs Gaskin kept this for years, she was May Purdy's grandmother....
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High Steet/Market Hill. See file 1 for history and photos.
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Photos and Memories:
The High Street: Firstly we had the main pub on the Market Place, a Mrs Gaskin kept this for years, she was May Purdy's grandmother....
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